XLVI 



Great Crested Flycatcher 

 452. Myiarchus crinitus (Linn.) 



This bird is olivaceous in color, with brown head and 

 a prominent crest; the throat and breast are ashen-col- 

 ored, meeting abruptly the bright yellow of the belly. 

 The length of the Crested Flycatcher is eight inches and 

 its body is of a rather slim build. Like all worm and 

 insect eating birds it is migratory, and is a woodland 

 bird by choice, nesting in natural cavities in trees and in 

 abandoned Woodpecker holes. 



The nest is of an enormous size for so small a bird, 

 and is composed of miscellaneous material into which, 

 frequently, the cast-off skins of snakes enter. The eggs 

 number from five to eight, buff-colored, with heavy, wavy, 

 purplish longitudinal markings which are characteristic 

 of the eggs of these birds. 



The Crested Flycatcher is very quarrelsome and ill- 

 tempered, and is also exclusive, claiming as its own the 

 territory in the vicinity of the nest. 



Owing to its habit of selecting a nest-site in heavily 

 timbered areas this bird is not observed as frequently as 

 its relative of the open glade — the Kingbird. However, 

 that the Flycatcher sometimes invades the haunts of man 

 is shown by the picture illustrating this chapter. Its 

 screaming note, "what!" is often made just before it 

 flies to another limb or tree, and you must not expect to 

 see it at the point from which the call came. The loud 

 shrill notes during the mating period and early nest- 

 building cease with the advent of the young. 



My friend. Professor A. E. Shirling, a lover of birds 

 and the out-of-doors, was fortunate enough to draw in 

 his bird box lottery a nesting pair of Great Crested Fly- 

 catchers, and through his courtesy I was privileged to 

 picture and study the pair at close range. (Fig. 71.) 



After I had once anchored my camera close to the 

 nest the birds made no attempt at attacking me or the 



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